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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23737861">Local Old Man Gets Nudes, What Happened Next Is Heartwarming</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/JuHuaTai/pseuds/JuHuaTai'>JuHuaTai</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>One Piece</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Attempt at Humor, Drunk Texting, Drunkenly Sending Your Ex's Dad Nudes Way To Go Ace, Eventual Romance, Gen, M/M, That's Your Only Warning For This Fic, Whitebeard the Boomer Will Use Gen Z Slangs Incorrectly and Excessively, break up and getting back together</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-03 01:00:39</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,952</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23737861</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/JuHuaTai/pseuds/JuHuaTai</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The moral of the story was this: If you’re sure you don’t want to get back with someone, then delete their number and block them. Or maybe the lesson was, if you’re still obviously missing someone, don’t get drunk and then text them. Or worse, send them nudes. </p><p>Or maybe the lesson was, no matter what you do, don’t let your technologically impaired father borrow your phone when he inevitably broke his. </p><p>(But really, aren't you glad all of these things happened in the end?)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Fushichou Marco | Phoenix Marco/Portgas D. Ace, Portgas D. Ace &amp; Shirohige | Whitebeard | Edward Newgate</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>52</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>376</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Local Old Man Gets Nudes, What Happened Next Is Heartwarming</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>He-hey, an actual one shot! You know what that means? Yeah, that means i’m procrastinating cleaning my house and waiting for laundry. </p><p>Is this crack? Just treat this like crack. Don't take any of this seriously. </p><p>Hope you'd enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>The approaching dawn of the new area is not something you can stop. You may disagree, you may protest, but the advancement of human race will keep marching on, and if you don’t want to be left behind, you must march along with your head held high.</p><p> </p><p>Edward Newgate would like to say that he lived by this statement. He lived long enough to have experienced the progression in his youth being detracted by his elders, have lived in what had seemed to be the peak of advancement during his heydays, and now that he’s in his twilight years, it is time he watched as the revolution continues to the next generation, and get a taste of it while he still can, to marvel at how far humanity has come to.</p><p> </p><p>Thus, smartphones.</p><p> </p><p>Such nifty little things. Telephone, computer, music player, all combined in this little device almost half his palm. He hadn’t dare dream of such an invention back then, hadn’t imagined there will be a time where he’ll be able to see his sons faces as he called them from cities and even nations away, and he didn’t think he’d be able to have all of the shows he wanted to watch with just one application - apps, as Haruta would painstakingly tried to get him to say - without having to leave whatever it is he’s doing to go to the television on certain times.</p><p> </p><p>And don’t get him started on the<em> internet. </em>Oh, just wonderful. All of those cute puppy videos and the ability to order Stefan’s food and toys with just a click of a button, what else can a man ask for?</p><p> </p><p>Well, he could think of one. And that being, a bigger, sturdier phone model for his admittedly big hands. And preferably one that didn’t break completely after he let it slip between his hands after washing dishes.</p><p> </p><p>When he told Marco of what happened during his last visit, his son just shook his head and offered him one of his phones, “Just use this for now, i’m due for a new one, anyway. I’ll just use my work phone in the mean time,”</p><p> </p><p>And so, that was what led Edward to this current predicament: With a far more newfangled little phone, and a confusing series of text in the middle of the night.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <b>Firefly</b>
  </p>
  <p>Baaaaaaaabeee</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>Firefly</b>
  </p>
  <p>U up</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>Firefly</b>
  </p>
  <p>Ofcc u up u nvr sleep</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>Firefly</b>
  </p>
  <p>Mrco bb i mss u</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>Firefly</b>
  </p>
  <p>mmmmiiiiiisssssss uuuu</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>Firefly</b>
  </p>
  <p>call m</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>Firefly</b>
  </p>
  <p>calll me</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>Firefly</b>
  </p>
  <p>dont u still want me</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>Firefly</b>
  </p>
  <p>beiibbbbbb</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>Firefly</b>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>[IMG_27873]</em>
  </p>
  <p> </p>
</blockquote><p>And Edward is not someone you would call a prude, oh, he had his own fair share of wild nights back in his casanova days. But even he had to raise a brow at the picture of a clearly intoxicated young man, with his far from being the focus of the picture. Oh no, that honour goes to the picture of an impressive sculpted torso clad only in a thin cotton underwear, hiding what a very, <em>very </em>obvious bulge that’s thankfully cut off by the picture’s border.</p><p> </p><p>Still bleary from sleep and wondering if his heart medication now causes hallucinations, Edward sat up and clicked on his bedside lamp, hoping that some illumination will help him see something else than this risque picture. But instead, his - Marco’s - phone vibrated again, and a series of text appeared underneath the picture.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <b>Firefly</b>
  </p>
  <p>Rmnbr all of dis?</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>Firefly</b>
  </p>
  <p>U can still hv it</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>Firefly</b>
  </p>
  <p>Cuz i want u</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>Firefly</b>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>[IMG_27874]</em>
  </p>
  <p> </p>
</blockquote><p>“Oh, goodness me!”</p><p> </p><p>It was just a split second, but even that was enough for Edward to see what kind of picture that was.</p><p> </p><p>With a muffled yelp, he dropped the phone face down on the bed, his heart thundering against his chest so much he’s worried for his arrhythmia. Oh my, oh dear, is sending nude pictures of yourself through text message a norm for young people? He vaguely recalled an old article about phone security sent by Curiel a while ago and tried his best to recall what was said in it while trying to get rid of the photo out of his mind.</p><p> </p><p>The phone vibrated a couple of times, first at a rather frequent interval before falling in frequency and finally, descending into blessed silence. Edward glanced at the phone warily, putting one hand up to shield his eyes from what is shown on the screen. When the balding man decided he has safely navigated through<em> the picture, </em>he saw that what he received next were just a series of messages, equally slurred and intelligible as their predecessors.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <b>Firefly</b>
  </p>
  <p>Maco</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>Firefly</b>
  </p>
  <p>Marrrco</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>Firefly</b>
  </p>
  <p>Fk u</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>Firefly</b>
  </p>
  <p>calll m</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>Firefly</b>
  </p>
  <p>i said i missd u fuck</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>Firefly</b>
  </p>
  <p>imsry</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>Firefly</b>
  </p>
  <p>im sorry</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>Firefly</b>
  </p>
  <p>missed u so bad</p>
  <p> </p>
</blockquote><p>“Well,” the moustached man found himself saying to his partially illuminated room, and to Stefan, who had shuffled out of his bed in the corner in curiosity, “That was certainly something,”</p><p> </p><p>And it is. He wasn’t aware that Marco is seeing someone, although if he discern this… odd series of text correctly - and he’s confident he is, Haruta’s texting language made him quite adept in this new slang - it seems that the relationship has ended. Even if this young man is still quite… hhmm, what was that slang again? Ah yes, <em>thirsty.</em></p><p> </p><p>Or was it, <em>salty</em>?</p><p> </p><p>Hmm.</p><p> </p><p>At any rate, this doesn’t seem to be a relationship that ended amicably. How strange. He doesn’t even know Marco had been in any relationship recently, either. And Thatch always kept him up with the latest <em>tea. </em>Even if those gossips never did come with a cup of tea. Could it be that no one else in the family knew? If that’s the case, how peculiar it is of Marco to keep something like this hidden from them.</p><p> </p><p>Stefan climbed over the bed, panting slightly and immediately snuggled his fluffy body against Edward’s own. The man placed a hand on top of his dog’s head, patting affectionately while he stared deep into the dog’s brown eyes, “Stefan,” he said gruffly, “I am truly, as the kids say, <em>shooketh</em>,”</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>As a farm boy from a rural county, Edward rose pretty early, often a few minutes before the sun itself was ready to start the day.</p><p> </p><p>But that morning, what woke him up wasn’t his long trained biological clock, but instead, the retiree come to consciousness from the constant buzzing somewhere in his vicinity. With a grumble, the robust man blearily opened his eyes, taking in the sight of the sun rising behind his closed curtains and a hint of light shining from under the phone he had neglected on his bed last night.</p><p> </p><p>Edward blindly reached over for the phone as he wiped the night’s accumulated traces from his eyes. The buzzing was caused by a phone call, and it was by none other than ‘Firefly’ himself.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh dear,” the elderly man found himself voicing out loud. Next to him, Stefan gave a low <em>boof </em>in agreement.</p><p> </p><p>He considered not answering, but the name above the call button seems to goad him into clicking it. Ah, perhaps it’s for the best that he answered, after all, he had - not by his own volition, mind - accidentally saw this young man’s naked features. The politeness taught to him by his mama, bless her soul, commanded that he should at least apologize for participating in this misunderstanding.</p><p> </p><p>So Edward clicking on the shaking green button, and brought the phone close to his ears, “Hello?”</p><p> </p><p>“You saw, didn’t you?” whatever it is that Edward was expecting to ear, the half-pained half-angry voice from the other other side wasn’t it, “I was fucking drunk, alright, Marco? Fucking delete all of that. I didn’t mean a single fucking thing, and why the fuck didn’t you have me blocked anyway? Don’t you know the etiquette when you broke up with someone?”</p><p> </p><p>Edward was rendered speechless. It took him a while to find his voice again and form a reply, but before he could fix this misunderstanding, ‘Firefly’ continued, “And don’t you act stupid, i know you saw my text last night. They got <em>read </em>all over, so don’t you say you don’t—“</p><p> </p><p>“Excuse me,” he finally interjected - because damn, this boy is <em>loud - </em>even with his hand reflexively doing a stopping motion, “I’m afraid this is not Marco,”</p><p> </p><p>The other side of the phone was silent for a moment. Then, a tiny, squeaked version of the angry voice earlier returned, “W-who is this?”</p><p> </p><p>“Edward Newgate, at your service,” Edward introduced, “Marco’s father. I broke my mobile phone, you see, and he lent me his while i had mine fixed,”</p><p> </p><p>Again, another bouts of silence. Then with an abrupt click, the call ended.</p><p> </p><p>The bald man stared at the phone in his hand quizzically, “He hung up,” he reiterated to Stefan, who had now sat on one of his legs from over the blanket, “Well, that’s certainly rather <em>awks’</em>, as the kids would say, don’t you think, boy?”</p><p> </p><p>Stefan gave him a low snuffle, before wagging his tail.</p><p> </p><p>Then, the phone started ringing again, from ‘Firefly’ again, no less. Edward took less time to answer the call, but once again was beaten to the punch by the now flustered young man, “Look, sir, i’m so, so, so, so, so, so sorry. I didn’t know and— Oh my god,<em> you</em> got my nudes, didn’t you? I’m— Fuuuuuuck, i— I’m so sorry! I was drunk and Sabo always took my phone away so this kind of shit won’t happen, but he’s got the flu so he didn’t come with and Luffy definitely forgot to take my phone away— I am so, so, so sorry!”</p><p> </p><p>Well, he didn’t know why, but it was rather reassuring to hear that perhaps this entire event if more mortifying for this young man than it is for Edward, “That’s alright, son, you didn’t know, now, did you?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, well,” the man took several deep breaths, still muttering quietly enough that Edward couldn’t hear him over the phone. Then, once he seems to get enough of his bearing, he spoke again, “Look, sir, again i’m so sorry. This is so embarrassing. I just… i need you to do a favour for me, please delete all of last nights text and the pics, i swear i didn’t mean to send them,”</p><p> </p><p>Now, Edward is all too familiar with the old adage ‘in vino veritas’. And he might’ve also noticed the way he said ‘didn’t mean to send them’ instead of ‘didn’t mean any of them’ like he had first said when he thought he was talking to Marco. But alas, a man doesn’t get to his age without learning a few social cues, and his told him this isn’t the time to mention that, “I would love to help you, dear boy, but,” he glanced at the phone, frowning, “I’m not sure i know how to do that. This phone model is much more advanced than what i am used to,”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh,”</p><p> </p><p>Again, there’s a brief silence between them. Edward could tell the young man was muling over something. In the end, he sighed, and said, “Okay, um, i’ll direct you on how to do it. How’s that sound?”</p><p> </p><p>“Splendid!” Edward chirped, chuckling, “Well, direct away, boy,”</p><p> </p><p>“It’s… Ace,” Firefly - no, Ace - said, and his tone sounded more amused than awkward, “My name’s Ace,”</p><p> </p><p>“Ah, good to finally put a name to the voice then. Marco’s phone only told me your name is ‘Firefly’,”</p><p> </p><p>There was, predictably, silence yet again from the other side. But still, Edward could tell that the very quiet ‘Oh’ he heard a while later wasn’t meant for him to hear.</p><p> </p><p>Deleting text messages were easier than thought, and the only obstacle was trying to navigate his fingers while trying not to look at his screen when he’s trying to delete <em>that picture</em>. At least Ace was vocally flustered, so he’s not quite alone in this. The more surprising thing to learn was the fact that there is another step into those simple steps, which is to delete the traces of these ever taking place from the phone’s backup memory itself.</p><p> </p><p>“I didn’t even know that too,” Ace told him through the speakerphone while Edward was busy looking for the setting as instructed, “My brother, Sabo was the one who told me about it. He’s so much more tech savvy than anyone i know,”</p><p> </p><p>“A brother?” Edward silently cheered when he finally caught sight of the intended setting button, “Ah, how many siblings do you have, Ace?”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, he’s not really my <em>brother </em>brother. The three of us - that’s me, Sabo and Luffy - we’ve been together since we’re kids that we’re as good as blood brothers, is all,”</p><p> </p><p>“Interesting! That’s how it worked between my children too. I adopted them a long time ago and raised all of them together. They all know they’re not related, but they’re still brothers and i am still their father,”</p><p> </p><p>A small tittering laugh from the phone sounded almost fond, if a little wistful, “I know, Marco <em>loves </em>talking about his family. Especially you,”</p><p> </p><p>Edward’s chest seems to swell with pride when he heard that, even if he already know just what great kids he has, “He did, did he?”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, did he ever. He had this entire photo album in his phone of all of you guys, including your great big dog. You wanna know how often he talked about his family? If i ever come across one on the streets, i’ll immediately know what their name is and what the most embarrassing story in their childhood is. Then again, it’s fair, i know i talked his ears off about Sabo and Luffy too. We love our family, it’s one of the great things we have in common,”</p><p> </p><p>“So there are others then?”</p><p> </p><p>From Ace’s laugh, it would seem that he was about to reply, but instead, what came was a hitched breath. Edward quirked a brow, waiting patiently as he fulfilled Stefan’s daily belly rub.</p><p> </p><p>But the reply never came, and instead, Ace’s voice came back lacking the energy it had before, “Look, um, thank you so much for deleting my texts, Mr. Newgate, sir. And it’s… it’s really nice talking to you, but i have to go now,” he paused for a second, and with an abrupt ‘Take care, don’t tell Marco about this, thanks, bye’, the line was cut off. This time, Edward is sure that there won’t be any more call back.</p><p> </p><p>He stared down on the phone screen, now only showing the default frosty mountain background and the time - 08:00 AM, later than he thought it is - with a faded reflection of his own face amongst them. The moustached man sighed, “Well,” he told Stefan, “that was <em>lowkey </em>a disappointment. And i still wanted to talk too,”</p><p> </p><p>Well, he supposed he need to start the day.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Later on, out of curiosity, Edward went back to the picture app in Marco’s phone and began scrolling. There’s not much of them saved, but the majority of them were of Edward and his children, sometimes all of them together, sometimes Marco and a couple of his siblings. Aside from those there are also images of papers with official looking titles on them and other times, more rarely, were pictures of Marco himself, speaking to a crowd in some medical conference while holding a microphone and all suited up as he posed along with men and women with the same air of dignity.</p><p> </p><p>Edward remembered reading in one of those sites with quotes he likes so much, on how you can tell what someone values the most through the pictures they took. This picture album shows him how right that quote was; These were the things Marco valued the most: His family, his achievements, his colleagues.</p><p> </p><p>But as he kept scrolling through, the man’s squinted eyes finally caught something else. There, nestled between what looks like one of those journal sites and group picture from another stuffy function, was a picture of a horribly smushed colourful cake, being held up by a young man with freckly cheeks and a beautiful smile.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Marco came by a few days later for his daily visit and check up, armed with a suitcase of papers and medical related items, a deeper set of eye bags than the last time Edward saw on his son, and a brand new phone. The routine check up went well, the question about when the last time the blond rest was deflected as usual, and setting up his new phone was uneventful. Edward’s always excited to learn about new, exciting things, but right now, he had something else in mind, “When’s the last time you’ve been in a relationship, Marco?”</p><p> </p><p>That was a fairly innocuous question, in his opinion, so it definitely doesn’t warrant the way the doctor quickly froze up, “Why’d you ask?”</p><p> </p><p>Ah, sometimes, it’s as if they forgot who raised them, “Just wondering. Am i not allowed to know?”</p><p> </p><p>Edward tried to muster his best ‘innocent’ look when Marco gave him a side eye, before he eventually sighed and shook his head, “I haven’t been in one in a while. Now why’d you ask, Pops?”</p><p> </p><p>“How long ago is a while?”</p><p> </p><p>“Pops,” the blond frowned, new phone forgotten, and for a while, he was simply watching Edward’s face, the look of suspicion all over his face. Then, suddenly, he widened his eyes and raised one hand up to his face over his eyes, “You looked around my phone, didn’t you? Checked my texts or something?”</p><p> </p><p>Well, in his defense, the texts came by themselves. But, he didn’t think Ace would appreciate it if he told.</p><p> </p><p>With a groan, Marco wiped his hand through his face, “Whatever you’re thinking, it was long over, okay?” he stood up, putting Edward’s new phone on the table between them as he began to pack his bag, and took his phone back from the table with a hint of unnecessary force behind it. They’re not even done yet, but it’s clear that Marco would rather leave.</p><p> </p><p>So Edward’s not going to make it easy for him, “You never told me. Or your brothers. I think i deserve to know a bit about that young man, don’t i?”</p><p> </p><p>At this, Marco seems to hesitate, and a flicker of what Edward would guess to be guilt seems to flash around his visage. Interesting, “Well, i’m sorry i didn’t say anything but that’s long over, so there’s no need to discuss this anymore,”</p><p> </p><p>“How long did you two dated?”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh my god, Pops,” his son snapped with irritation, “I said i don’t— It’s about a year, alright? A— He and i dated for a little over a year and we called it quits and we have no intention of ever getting back together again. There, now can we please stop talking about this?”</p><p> </p><p>And even more interestingly, Marco didn’t seem to be able to mention Ace’s name. And if he could tell that Ace, a stranger he never met before was lying about something, he most definitely could tell when the child he raised did so too, “Fine, i was just asking, no need to sound so <em>pressed,</em>”</p><p> </p><p>“Sound— what?”</p><p> </p><p>“Maybe a father’s asking a lot because he just wants to know whats going on with his son because he cares for him, but <em>go off </em>i guess,”</p><p> </p><p>“Go— What does that even mean— Okay,” with a tired sigh, Marco sat back down, bag once again abandoned, “Okay, i’m sorry i didn’t tell you about him. But,” he took in a shaky breath, hands folded and tapping against each other in what Edward could tell is a nervous gesture, “The last few moments of our relationship wasn’t… the best. In the end, we agreed that we’ll be happier apart and that’s what we did. And i didn’t introduce him to you or any of my brothers because we… there were issues in our relationship. I didn’t feel comfortable bringing him over when we still have all of that over our head,”</p><p> </p><p>Edward silently wondered what these ‘issues’ might be, and thought that maybe he could guess what one of it might’ve been. Even from the first picture and after hearing his voice, he could obviously tell that Ace was young. Not so young, but quite significantly so when compared to Marco’s current age at 47. Honestly, it didn’t occur to him while the whole nude pic issue was still present, but right now, he could see where that might’ve cause some apprehension.</p><p> </p><p>But still, ‘we agreed that we’ll be happier apart’? Whoever said that was clearly lying to the other.</p><p> </p><p>“So that’s it,” his son sighed, “Now can we please not talk about this again?”</p><p> </p><p>With pursed lips, Edward shrugged, “I suppose,”</p><p> </p><p>“Great. Now can we just go back to setting up your new phone?”</p><p> </p><p>“Nah, i’m Gucci,”</p><p> </p><p>“Pops, i seriously have no idea what you’re saying, can you please stop that,”</p><p> </p><p>“Ok Boomer,”</p><p> </p><p>“Haruta is forbidden from coming over ever again,”</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>After Marco finally left, Edward grabbed his new phone and went into his bedroom, making a beeline to the piece of paper he had placed down before his son’s arrival. Once he had both in hand, he quickly went to the call app and inserted the phone number scratched down hastily on the paper.</p><p> </p><p>Then, under ’New Contact’, he typed in the name Ace.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p> </p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <b>You</b>
  </p>
  <p>Good morning!</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>Ace</b>
  </p>
  <p>Who’s this?</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>You</b>
  </p>
  <p>Forgot me so soon, Ace? And to think i can say i know you quite intimately :)D</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>Ace</b>
  </p>
  <p>????</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>Ace</b>
  </p>
  <p>OH MY GOD</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>Ace</b>
  </p>
  <p>Mr. Newgate?!??!?!?!?!?!</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>You</b>
  </p>
  <p>I hope you don’t mind me keeping your number. I rarely found myself with a good conversationalist these days with all of my children so busy. Well, except for Stefan, of course</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>You</b>
  </p>
  <p>But i enjoyed our conversation so much i wish we could continue some other time. I hope that’s not asking for too much?</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>Ace</b>
  </p>
  <p>No but</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>Ace</b>
  </p>
  <p>You know you’re talking to your son’s ex, right?</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>You</b>
  </p>
  <p>I don’t see how that’s a problem. I just thought you’re a nice young man and i would love to talk to you again :))</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>Ace</b>
  </p>
  <p>Oh</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>Ace</b>
  </p>
  <p>K then, nice to hear from you again, Mr. Newgate</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>You</b>
  </p>
  <p>Call me Pops. And splendid! :)D</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p><b>You</b> </p>
  <p>Squad goals!</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>Ace</b>
  </p>
  <p>OMG</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>Ace</b>
  </p>
  <p>I am so gonna enjoy this</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>You</b>
  </p>
  <p>Bet, fam</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>Ace</b>
  </p>
  <p>shhjksjskssklshk</p>
  <p> </p>
</blockquote><hr/><p> </p><p>Edward doesn’t think of himself as someone particularly nosy, especially when it comes to other people’s relationship. But ever since retirement, he had plentiful of free time and there’s only so much entertainment to be had from his dog, the family groupchat or his drinking buddies. Plus, honestly, maybe he was a little <em>salty</em> from being kept in the dark about Marco and Ace’s relationship.</p><p> </p><p>It’s not like he ended up doing anything. His interaction with Ace were limited to daily conversation and picture sharing, which started since Ace found out about his liking to dogs and occasionally sent him pictures of puppies from the animal shelter near the fire station where he worked. Edward, who had found comforting ritual in finding images of greetings overlaid on various nature pictures, began sharing them with Ace like he shared them with his family and friends. It was entirely wholesome, it was nice, it felt like he had new friend, if not a son. The aborted relationship between Marco and Ace or their obvious desire to rekindle their relationship was put in the back burner out of any lack of progress.</p><p> </p><p>In the end, it wasn’t Edward who made the first move, nor was it even Ace.</p><p> </p><p>It was Marco, who he found sitting on his fully furnished bar, nursing over a half empty scotch glass filled with amber liquid that he quietly swirled around. He looked positively haggard, even worse then when he came by to check up on Edward this evening, his laptop brightly opened in front of him but was very obviously ignored.</p><p> </p><p>“Marco?” Edward called out, scratching the arm of his sweater, “Why are you still here? I thought you’d gone home,”</p><p> </p><p>The blond’s eyes were bleary, both the sign of intoxication and fatigue mixing into a cocktail or exhaustion, “Oh, uh,” his words were already slurred, and Edward knew that while some of his sons were lightweights, this one son definitely isn’t, “I thought you might need some company,”</p><p> </p><p>“Well, i didn’t even realize i <em>had </em>company,” Edward quickly retorted back to show how pathetic the lie was, but it doesn’t even look like Marco noticed. He simply shrugged and took another sip from his glass. With misty, tired eyes, he seemed to be scanning an entirely too small and long journal article, but it was clear he took none of the information in. With a sigh, Edward pulled a chair close and sat next to him, picking up a glass from the nearby stand, “So what are you doing this late?”</p><p> </p><p>“Just, working on my research, Pops,”</p><p> </p><p>“Research? You look like you’re working <em>through</em> my collection,”</p><p> </p><p>That is a rather expensive scotch, a gift from Neptune from his hometown, Ryugu, and Marco had already downed 3/4 of them. Edward would say he’s pissed off if he’s not concerned over his son’s current state, “Come now, Marco. Talk to me. What’s going on?”</p><p> </p><p>In true Marco fashion, the first reply comes in the form of a deflection, “What makes you think something’s going on?”</p><p> </p><p>Grumpily, instead of filling his own glass, Edward took a swig from Marco’s own, ignoring the protest from the younger man, “I've been your father for 40 years, don’t give me that shit,” he pointed out after a hiss when the drink went down so smoothly in his throat. Damn, that is some good scotch, “Talk to me,”</p><p> </p><p>With pursed lips, Marco took his glass back, his movement already wobbling. He poured down more of the scotch in the glass, but failed to drink it after. He simply stared at the calm surface, to his own distorted reflection, “You ever,” he paused, sighing, hand waving around motionlessly, “felt like you’ve done the right thing, but still regretted it in the end?”</p><p> </p><p>Somehow, like a precognition, Edward already knew where this conversation is going or what this is all about, “How’d you mean?”</p><p> </p><p>“It’s like, you know it was the right thing to do. But then you regretted the result, so you ended up thinking how things could’ve gone differently instead. Things that could’ve worked out, things that maybe isn’t even a problem,” Marco sighed again, sounding so worn Edward felt great pity on him, “You tried not to think about it, because what done is done, but then one day it just… the consequences just struck you right on the face and you’re not ready for that. And it’s just so….,” the waving hand stopped, falling limp before curling into a fist, “painful,”</p><p> </p><p>Edward watched silently, as the fist uncurled again, lifelessly, pressing flat against the bar’s wooden countertop. This motion brought his attention to the object that somehow failed to register the first time, when getting Marco’s attention was more important. The blond’s phone was lying screen up, the same picture of Ace grinning as he held a piece of ruined cake meeting Edward’s eyes. Marco didn’t even seem to notice that the clear evidence of what he’s talking about is right there for the whole world to see.</p><p> </p><p>“Ask yourself this,” he said distantly, eyes still focused on the single picture of Ace left in Marco’s phone, a gesture that spoke more honestly than any word coming out of his mouth, “If you can go back to that day and went through the same thing, would you have done whatever it is you thought was right again?”</p><p> </p><p>The move was subtle, but Edward caught the way Marco’s eyes drifted over to his phone, to the picture of the person clearly in his mind right now.</p><p> </p><p>Slowly, silently, Marco shook his head.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>Ace</b>
  </p>
  <p>Pops? Are you still up?</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>You</b>
  </p>
  <p>Can’t sleep, my boy?</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>Ace</b>
  </p>
  <p>No.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>You</b>
  </p>
  <p>Would you like to talk about it?</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>Ace</b>
  </p>
  <p>I think so</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>Ace</b>
  </p>
  <p>To be honest, i think you’re the only one i can talk with about this.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>Ace</b>
  </p>
  <p>Everyone else in my life i’ve told that i’m over it.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>Ace</p>
  <p>But i’m really not.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>Ace</b>
  </p>
  <p>I’m so so not over it</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>You</b>
  </p>
  <p>Just tell me Ace</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>Ace</b>
  </p>
  <p>Today would’ve been our 2nd year anniversary</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>Ace</b>
  </p>
  <p>And fuck, it hurts just thinking about it</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>Ace</b>
  </p>
  <p>If i hadn’t demanded too much and be a more understanding person, maybe he’d still be here, you know? We could’ve still be together</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>Ace</b>
  </p>
  <p>But all i have left of him was that i’m venting about an anniversary that never be to his own dad</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>Ace</b>
  </p>
  <p>I hurt him real bad, i know. But he hurt me too.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>You</b>
  </p>
  <p>What is it that you wanted Ace</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>Ace</b>
  </p>
  <p>I wish i could’ve take it all back.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>Ace</b>
  </p>
  <p>I want him back</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>Ace</b>
  </p>
  <p>I don’t care about the small things anymore.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>Ace</b>
  </p>
  <p>He’s worth more than that to me</p>
  <p> </p>
</blockquote><hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p>“Marco, wake up,”</p><p> </p><p>Despite everything, Edward actually felt bad for waking his son up when Marco looked beyond exhausted and need as much sleep as he can get. But it’s hard to feel sorry for him in light of what he’s about to do, with his phone in one hand and the other poised to press on the green call button. With sluggish movement, Marco sat up from the sofa, and frowned deeply when the phone began to emit a familiar dialling tone made louder after it was put on speaker, “Pops, what—“</p><p> </p><p>The click of received call cuts him off, and Edward watched, almost like in slow motion, as understanding dawned through his slowly widening eyes when Ace’s voice filtered through the receiver, “Hello? Pops?”</p><p> </p><p>With mouth wide agape, Marco stared at his father, who ignored the look to turn and spoke to the phone, “Ah, Ace my boy. I’m so sorry for calling so late,” he lowered the phone, just enough to make it clear it was an offer towards Marco, “But i believe there’s someone here who would like to talk to you,”</p><p> </p><p>There was only confused silence from the phone, during which, instead of taking the phone, Marco alternated between staring wide eyed at both the phone and Edward, mouth still moving silently from clear shock.</p><p> </p><p>He was quickly sobered up by the quiet, strained voice that came through the receiver once more, “Marco?”</p><p> </p><p>Impatient, Edward practically shoved the phone to his son’s hand, though this time, Marco was quicker on the uptake. The phone was practically snatched out of his hand and was barely transferred over when the blond already began speaking, “Ace,” he called out, frantic, as if Ace could’ve hung up the call any time, “I… Look, just don’t hang up, just please, listen to me. I’m sorry. You deserved to hear so much more, but i’m so sorry,”</p><p> </p><p>“No, i’m the one who should’ve apologized,” Ace quickly shot back, sounding just as desperate, “I’m sorry for being a stupid selfish idiot. You love what you do and you’re amazing at it, i shouldn’t have to make you feel like you have to choose between me and doing what you love,”</p><p> </p><p>“But you were right, i wasn’t prioritising you enough. And i’m sorry that i was an insecure idiot, i was never ashamed of you. But i was much too old for you, you could’ve had someone better, someone who—“</p><p> </p><p>“Someone better?! I don’t want anyone better, Marco, i wanted you!”</p><p> </p><p>Apologies flew back and forth, words regretted and actions to ask forgiveness for, and in the midst of that, Edward gave them their privacy and went back to his bedroom, smiling along the way.</p><p> </p><p>Somewhere in the middle of the night, he heard the front door opening and closing, followed by the telltale sound of Marco’s car exiting the drive way and leaving, leaving his father chuckling to himself as he slip into a peaceful slumber.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Early morning found Edward already in his kitchen, pouring bits of kibbles out for Stefan and preparing breakfast after their morning walk, when the sight of his phone laid out on the coffee table caught his attention. He picked it up on the way to the television and unlocked the phone, to see that amongst the usual morning group chats and notification, there was a single text message from Ace from a few minutes before, which was simply of a single photograph.</p><p> </p><p>In what he’d previously recognize to be Ace’s bedroom, Ace had taken what he believed if called a selfie of himself and Marco, with the two of them sitting up against the headboard, Marco’s arms wrapped around Ace and blissfully kissing the side of the younger’s temple, while Ace was pressed close to Marco, the hand that wasn’t holding the phone throwing up a cheeky peace sign, eyes glinting with happiness as he stared directly to the camera.</p><p> </p><p>There was no caption or additional text, but in hindsight, there was no need. This picture is all he needed as a confirmation after all.</p><p> </p><p>Edward put is breakfast bowl down and gave a booming laugh.</p><p> </p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <b>You</b>
  </p>
  <p>Wow! My sons snapped! I ship! Mood AF!</p>
</blockquote><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p> </p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <b>BirdBrainBro</b>
  </p>
  <p>Haruta, you are hereby forbidden from teaching Pops anything anymore and if i catch you teaching him any more slangs, i’m cancelling your tuition</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>You</b>
  </p>
  <p>Ok Boomer</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>BirdBrainBro</b>
  </p>
  <p>Say goodbye to your weekly allowance</p>
  <p> </p>
</blockquote><hr/><p> </p><p>The annual Newgate gathering isn’t quite as official as the name made it sound like, but it was something to truly look forward to. It was a time for all friends and family alike to gather in his expansive garden, the smell of barbecue high in the sky as people milled about the snacks and drinks station. While it wasn’t a small gathering in the slightest, there’s even more people today, with Marco finally officially introducing Ace to the family and Ace doing vice versa by bringing his brothers and grandfather over.</p><p> </p><p>From his ‘throne’, the large garden seat big and comfortable enough to accomodate him in one part of the garden overlooking everything, Edward quietly laugh to himself, his eyes following where Marco and Ace were. Since they arrived, they had never parted once and were now talking with Thatch, who had one arm slung across Ace’s shoulder in the definite indication that the young man has truly been inducted into the Newgate Clan. There’s not much more a man his age could ask for anymore, but this sort of peace. Just being amongst loved ones, seeing their happy faces and watching as his family grew over time.</p><p> </p><p>Through the rowdy but cheery bouts of conversation, suddenly a single unidentifiable voice called out, “Picture time!”</p><p> </p><p>As everyone began to scramble with poses and location for the photo, Edward practically leapt from his seat, suddenly filled with newfound determination, “Let me grab my phone!” he called out while putting down his glass of lemonade, placing it just within reach on the table near his seat.</p><p> </p><p>He stood up and pulled out his phone from his pocket, but unfortunately, the condensation of his lemonade glass made his fingers all too slippery. With horror, the moustached man watched as his phone actually <em>flew </em>out of his grasp, and landed right inside of the pool, missing the edge by just a couple of centimetre.</p><p> </p><p>Shouts of surprise, shock and hilarity quickly filled the air, as Edward watched in disbelief at the sight of the single black item sinking to the very bottom of the pristine pool of water.</p><p> </p><p>“Well, this is absolutely <em>not </em>lit,”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>You ever regret writing anything</p></blockquote></div></div>
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